Clippers’ Wesley Johnson benefits from an offseason confidence boost

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Clippers forward Wesley Johnson has never averaged more than 10 points per game in a seven-season NBA career, but he has looked like a more confident player during the preseason, one worthy of a larger role. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

The Clippers Willie Reed #35 looks to shoot and is fouled by the Lakers Jordan Clarkson #6 during their pre-season NBA game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Clippers Willie Reed #35 looks to shoot and is fouled by the Lakers Jordan Clarkson #6 during their pre-season NBA game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

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The Clippers Blake Griffin #32 during their pre-season NBA game against the Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Clippers coach Doc Rivers during their pre-season NBA game against the Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Clippers Jawun Evans #1 lays the ball up during their pre-season NBA game against the Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Clippers Tyrone Wallace #12 drives to the basket as the Lakers Brandon Ingram #14 defends during their pre-season NBA game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Lakers coach Luke Walton during their pre-season NBA game against the Clippers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Clippers coach Doc Rivers during their pre-season NBA game against the Lakers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Lakers coach Luke Walton with Alex Caruso #4 and Jordan Clarkson #6 during their pre-season NBA game against the Clippers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Lakers coach Luke Walton during their pre-season NBA game against the Clippers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Lakers Brook Lopez #11 during their pre-season NBA game against the Clippers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Lakers Thomas Bryant #31 passes the ball around the Clippers Jawun Evans #1 during their pre-season NBA game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Thomas Bryant #31 and the Clippers Marshall Plumlee #40 go after a high pass during their pre-season NBA game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Lakers Corey Brewer #3 dunks the ball as the Clippers Brice Johnson #11 looks on during their pre-season NBA game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Lakers Julius Randle #30 drives to the basket as the Clippers Tyrone Wallace #12 defends during their pre-season NBA game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Lakers Julius Randle #30 dunks the ball during their pre-season NBA game against the Clippers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Lakers Brandon Ingram #14 shoots as the Clippers Willie Reed #35 during their pre-season NBA game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Clippers Marshall Plumlee #40 and the Lakers Thomas Bryant #31 go after a rebound during their pre-season NBA game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Lakers Julius Randle #30 grabs a rebound away from the Clippers Montrezl Harrell #5 during their pre-season NBA game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Clippers Brice Johnson #11 keeps the ball from going out of bounds as the Lakers Brandon Ingram #14 defends during their pre-season NBA game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Friday, October 13, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Ike Iroegbu goes up for a shot on a fast break during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles, Friday, Oct. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers yells to his team during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles, Friday, Oct. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton watches from the sideline during the second half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers in Los Angeles, Friday, Oct. 13, 2017. The Lakers won 111-104. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)

LOS ANGELES — It isn’t about form. It’s about confidence. Catch it, jump, shoot it. If you think the basketball will go in the basket, then it probably will. If you think it won’t, then it probably won’t. Doubts can ruin a perfectly good jump shot, according to Clippers forward Wesley Johnson.

When he sank all four of his 3-point attempts, and 6 of 8 shots overall, during the Clippers’ exhibition victory Thursday over the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center, it wasn’t about tweaking his release or jumping higher or lower or finding a special spot on the floor.

The difference was a renewed sense of confidence that began during the offseason.

“That’s all it was,” Johnson said after scoring 16 points and taking five rebounds in a team-leading 31 minutes, in the Clippers’ 104-87 victory. “I’m just shooting it and I think I’m going to make every shot I shoot. They tell me to shoot every time I’m open. I’m letting it go.”

Johnson, starting his third season with the Clippers, averaged 10.6 points on 64.5 percent shooting (20 for 31) in five exhibitions, including three starts in place of injured small forward Danilo Gallinari. Johnson made 10 of 14 shots from beyond the 3-point arc (71.4 percent).

Gallinari didn’t play in the Clippers’ exhibition finale Friday against the Lakers because of a sprained left foot, giving Johnson another opportunity to show Doc Rivers and the coaching staff that he can produce if given sufficient playing time.

A lack of consistency has been an issue in the past, according to Rivers. Johnson has never averaged more than 10 points per game in a seven-season career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers and now the Clippers. He averaged 2.7 points on 36.5 percent shooting last season.

So far, he looks like a different person, a more confident player, one worthy of a larger role.

“He’s been terrific,” Rivers said. “He’s making shots and he’s confident, and he just has to keep doing it. I told him that last year and the year before. He’s seeing the ball go in, so each time it goes in, you get more confidence. When he misses them, keep shooting them.”

In the previous seasons, he’s been a standout shooter in practice, “an 11 o’clock shooter,” as the coaches might say. Now, with the Clippers in need of reliable shooters from the perimeter, he’s displaying that remarkable touch during the games.

“We’ve been seeing that in practice for three years,” Rivers said. “We haven’t seen it in the games. Now, you guys (reporters) get to see it in the games. It’s nice for all of us. Wes, this summer worked the hardest that I’ve seen him, and I think it’s paying off for him.”

Rivers said all but Beverley and Thornwell were expected back on the practice court Sunday, after the Clippers take Saturday as a day of rest. Rivers then amended his list to say Thornwell was a “maybe” and Austin Rivers and Dekker were “iffy.”

“We need the guards to be on the floor,” Rivers said.

Tyrone Wallace and Jawun Evans formed the Clippers’ starting backcourt against the Lakers, Wallace scored 23 points (six rebounds, five assists, six turnovers) and Evans added 22 points (with eight assists and no turnovers) as the Clippers fell to 2-3 in exhibition play. The Clippers open the regular season Thursday against the Lakers.

IROEGBU SIGNS

The Clippers signed Ike Iroegbu, a guard from Washington State who is ticketed for their new developmental league team in Ontario. Iroegbu arrived from Sacramento, his hometown, only hours before Friday’s game and scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds in 17 minutes, 21 seconds.

Elliott Teaford covers the Anaheim Ducks for the Orange County Register and the Southern California News Group. He covered the Ducks for 12 years, including the Stanley Cup season, for the Los Angeles Times and the Daily Breeze before returning to the beat in 2018 for SCNG. He also covered the Lakers for five seasons, including their back-to-back NBA championships in 2009 and '10. He once made a jump shot over future Utah Jazz center Mark Eaton during a pickup game in 1980 at Cypress College.